Easy Raspberry Cream Cheese Puff Pastry Bites
These little gems are a game-changer. They look impressive, taste absolutely divine with that perfect balance of creamy, sweet, and tart, but they come together in a flash. We're talking minimal effort for maximum reward.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet lined with parchment paper
- Parchment paper
- Medium bowl
- Small bowl
- Electric mixer (optional)
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 package Puff pastry 17 oz, thawed
- 8 oz Cream cheese full-fat, softened to room temperature
- 0.25 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup Fresh raspberries
- 1 tbsp Granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Prep Your Pastry and Oven. First things first, preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper – this makes cleanup a breeze! Take your thawed puff pastry out of the box and gently unfold it onto a lightly floured surface. Some brands come as one sheet, some as two. If you have two sheets, you might need two baking sheets or bake in batches. I like to cut each sheet into 9 or 12 equal squares. Don't worry too much about perfection here, rustic is good!
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling. In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until it's smooth and creamy. I find an electric mixer works best here to really get it lump-free, but you can do it by hand too if you give that cream cheese enough time to soften!
- Prep the Raspberries. In a small bowl, gently toss the fresh raspberries with the granulated sugar and lemon juice. Let them sit for a minute or two while you arrange the pastry squares. This little step really brings out their flavor.
- Assemble the Bites. Place your puff pastry squares on the prepared baking sheet. Dollop about a tablespoon of the cream cheese filling onto the center of each square. Don't spread it all the way to the edges, leave a little border for the pastry to puff up. Spoon some of the sugared raspberries (and a little of their yummy juice!) over the cream cheese filling.
- Bake 'Em Up! Pop the baking sheet into your preheated oven. Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden brown, puffed up beautifully around the edges, and the filling looks set and maybe a little bubbly. Keep an eye on them, as ovens vary! Mine usually take about 15 minutes.
- Cool Slightly and Enjoy! Let the bites cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. They are absolutely divine served warm, but they're also great at room temperature. Dust with a little extra powdered sugar if you like a prettier finish!
Notes
Best enjoyed fresh and warm. Store completely cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Gently reheat in a low oven (around 300°F/150°C) or enjoy cold.
Tips for Success:
- Thaw puff pastry properly (about 40 minutes at room temperature) to prevent cracking.
- Use softened cream cheese (out of fridge at least 30 minutes) for easier mixing and lump-free filling.
- Don't overfill the squares to prevent leakage.
- Puff pastry performs best when cold before going into a hot oven. Work quickly or chill assembled bites for 10-15 minutes if kitchen is warm. Substitutions & Additions:
- Can substitute raspberries with small blueberries, sliced strawberries, or chopped blackberries.
- Add lemon or orange zest to the cream cheese filling for extra brightness.
- Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the filling before adding raspberries.
- Swap half or all vanilla extract for almond extract.
- Drizzle with a simple glaze (powdered sugar + milk/lemon juice) after baking. FAQs:
- Frozen raspberries can be used; thaw and drain excess liquid first.
- Cream cheese filling and raspberries can be prepped a few hours ahead and stored separately in the fridge. Assemble right before baking.
- Done when pastry is puffed and golden brown, and filling is set/bubbly.
- Thaw puff pastry properly (about 40 minutes at room temperature) to prevent cracking.
- Use softened cream cheese (out of fridge at least 30 minutes) for easier mixing and lump-free filling.
- Don't overfill the squares to prevent leakage.
- Puff pastry performs best when cold before going into a hot oven. Work quickly or chill assembled bites for 10-15 minutes if kitchen is warm. Substitutions & Additions:
- Can substitute raspberries with small blueberries, sliced strawberries, or chopped blackberries.
- Add lemon or orange zest to the cream cheese filling for extra brightness.
- Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the filling before adding raspberries.
- Swap half or all vanilla extract for almond extract.
- Drizzle with a simple glaze (powdered sugar + milk/lemon juice) after baking. FAQs:
- Frozen raspberries can be used; thaw and drain excess liquid first.
- Cream cheese filling and raspberries can be prepped a few hours ahead and stored separately in the fridge. Assemble right before baking.
- Done when pastry is puffed and golden brown, and filling is set/bubbly.